Insect-destroying machine.



v No. s9s,|s7. I Patented Apr. 22, I902.

'c. v. oven & w. s. WILLETTE.

INSECT DESTBDYING MACHINE.

. (Application filed Aug, 26, 1901.) Q

(No Model.) 7

ll .57.. J. o 14, .30 JJ fNVE/V 70/2 5 lT/VESSES UNITED STATES PATENT Y OFFICE.

CHARLES V. DYER AND WILLIE VVILLETTE, OF CONROE, TEXAS.

N sEcr-o ES-TRO'YIING MACH N E.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 698,187, dated April 22, 1902.

,. Application filed August 26,1901-: Serial No. 78,305. [No model.) I

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that we, CHARLEsV. DYER and WILLIE S. WILLETTE, citizens of the United States, residing at (lonroe, in the county of Montgomeryand State of Texas, have in vented certain new and useful Improvements in Insect-Destroying Machines; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art towhich The invention comprises means for gat h ering the branches of the plant into position to be eifectively operated upon by a revolving brush which sweeps the weevils from the plant into a box carried by the machine. It is the object of our invention to do this effectively and without injury to the cottonplants.

An embodiment of our invention is herein;- after described and is illustrated in the accompanying drawings; butit is to be understood that changes in arrangement may be made Without departing from the nature of the invention.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the machine. Fig. 2 is a top plan View thereof.

The frame of the machinecomprises a box 6, the side pieces of which are extended forwardly and are supported at their ends upon a shaft 7, which revolves in bearings Sin the side pieces. The box has a tight bottom and is closed on three sides. The remaining side is open from the top of the box to near the bottom thereof, forming an opening through which the insects are brushed from the plants into the box. The bottom of the box is pref erably formed with a tin or other water-tight vided with a bevel-gear 11, in mesh with a bevel-gear 15, mounted on a shaft 16, which issupported in bearings and extends laterally across the-rear end of the frame. The otherend of the shaft beyond the frame is provided with a sprocket-wheel 17, driven by a chain 18, engaging the sprocket-whee119 upon'the outer end of the shaft 7, said shaft having a drive-wheel 20, which restsupon the ground. The frame 9 is'adjustable laterally, so that the brush may be set at a desired distance from the box to suit thesize of the plants to be brushed, and this adjustment is effected by meansof bolts 21, passing through the frame 9 and through one of a series of perforations 22 in the front and back walls of the box near the top edge thereof. The brush 11 may be of any suitable construction. We have illustrated two circular end plates 11*, joined by bars 11", to which are secured the brushes 11, of broom-corn or other suitable material.

The box slides upon the ground upon arunner 23, which is pivoted to a bracket 24, depending from the front of the box. The box is vertically adjustable upon this runner by means of a rod 25, the lower end of which is secured to the runner and the upper end of which is screw-threaded and passes through a bracket'26, attached to the rear wall of the box. Nuts 27 upon the rod, above and below the bracket, allow the bracket and box to be raised or-lowered upon the rod and secured in the desired position. Handles .28 are socured to the box at the rear end thereof.

The machine is designed to be run along a row of cotton-plants, and in order to gather the plan ts and the branches thereof in position to be brushed we provide ahood 29, attached to the side piece of the box and supported by an arched bar or axle 30, the inner end of which is attached to the side piece of the box and the outer end of which is provided with and supported upon a wheel 31. This axle spans the row of plants, and the wheel is preferably inclined outwardly from the perpendicular, the eliiect of which is to draw and retain the machine closely along the side of the row of plants.

By the construction shown it will be seen that the brush may be adjusted laterally to suit the width of the plants and vertically upon the runner 23 to suit the heightof the plants to be operated on also, that the plants are brushed by an upstroke of the revolving brush, which more effectively rids them of the insects with the least chance of damage to the plan ts; also, that the plants are brought together by the hood in position to receive the full and effective sweep of the brush upon all the branches of the plant, whereby they are thoroughly ridden of the insects, which drop into the pan of kerosene and are killed thereby.

A clevis is indicated at 32, wherebya draftanimal may be attached.

It is evident that the brush may be driven from its front end, if desired, by supporting the shaft 16 on the front end of the frame 9 and by a suitable arrangement of the gearing connected thereto. 70 deem it advisable, however, to drive the brush from the rear end, as specified and illustrated. The rapidity of revolution of the brush may be varied by change in the, bevel-gear or sprocket-wheels, as will be readily understood.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a machine of the character described, in combination, a box, a revolving brush, an arched axle to span a row of plants, a wheel upon the outer end thereof, and a hood adapted to gather the plants to the brush.

2. In a machine of the character described, in combination, a vertically-adjustable box, a laterally-adjustable revolving brush, and a hood adapted to gather plants to the brush.

3. In a machine of the character described, in combination, a box, a supporting-runner thereunder, means to adjust the box vertically upon the runner, a laterally-adjustable frame supported on the box, and a revolving brush mounted in the frame.

4. In a machine of the character described, in combination, a box, a supporting-runner therefor, means to adjust the box vertically relative to the runner, a laterally-adjustable frame supported on the box, a revolving brush mounted in the frame, a hood adapted to gather the plants for the brush, an arched axle adapted to span a row of plants and a wheel upon the outer end of the axle.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES V. DYER. WILLIE S. WILLETTIE.

Witnesses C. T. DARBY, W. M. (Jonson. 

